Exploring the continued UM emergence of Jordan Miller, Poplar and insight from Larranaga

This will be the first Final Four without a McDonald’s High School All-American since 1979.

And the Miami Hurricanes — who play Connecticut around 8:49 p.m. Saturday in a national semifinal in Houston — are the latest team to prove that you can advance this far without even having a top 50 prospect on your roster.

Coming out of the prep ranks in Indianapolis, Nijel Pack was Rivals’ 128th-best player in the Class of 2020, with Kansas State his only reported Power 5 offer. He didn’t become a coveted prospect until he hit the transfer portal after a superb sophomore year with the Wildcats.

Coming out of Drexel Hills, Pennsylvania, Isaiah Wong was rated the 78th best-player in the 2019 class by Rivals and 79th by 247 Sports. Four years later, he’s the ACC Player of the Year.

Coming out of Miami Prep, Norchad Omier wasn’t a top 200 prospect in the 2020 class and generated interest only after putting up big numbers at Arkansas State.

Coming out of Philadelphia, Wooga Poplar was Rivals’ No. 79 prospect and 247 Sports’ 128th prospect in the 2021 class.

Coming out of Purcellville, Virginia, Jordan Miller wasn’t a top 200 prospect in the 2018 class. He had no Power 5 offers then, and it took three years at George Mason — and a recommendation from a childhood friend of UM assistant coach Bill Courtney — for him to even land on UM’s radar.

The name of that friend? Clutch, Jim Larranaga said. And that’s fitting, considering Miller’s perfect night (7 for 7 from the field, 13 for 13 from the line) against Texas on Sunday in the most pressure-packed game of his life.

Two years ago, when Miller entered the transfer portal after three productive seasons at George Mason, “Clutch, one of coach Courtney’s childhood friends, said, ‘I don’t know what you’re looking for, but this is someone you should really look at,’” Larranaga said of Miller. “Coach Courtney did some research. I asked Jordan to ask what kind of coach I am and would he fit in in the program. A lot of people said to him, ‘You should go play for Coach L.’”

George Mason officials knew Larranaga well from his 14 seasons there, including a Final Four appearance in 2006.

This season, the 6-7 Miller was one of 14 players in the country (only three from Power 5 conferences) to average at least 15.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

“I had no idea he was this good,” Larranaga said. “When he was a junior last year, a fourth-year junior, he fit in beautifully with the team but he wasn’t really what I would call a go-to guy. We had Kameron McGusty, Isaiah Wong, Charlie Moore, Jordan and Sam Waardenburg did their job very well helping us get to the Elite 8.”

But Larranaga told Miller before this season that “your role is going to completely change, that we’re going to expand your role.”

Miller had one question: If I get a rebound, can I dribble it down court in transition?

Larranaga said he asked him one question in response: Are you going to turn the ball over? Miller said no. “Then I said you can do it.”

Miller finished the season with 96 assists and 46 turnovers.

“He had a 7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in summer to fall [practices],” Larranaga said. “He’s underrated because he’s under the radar. People haven’t seen him and understand how good he is. He showed the country how good he is the past two weeks. Everything he does, he does well. He doesn’t show any limitations.

“He’s a sensational player. I’m not sure I’ve ever coached a player that impacts the game in so many ways, offensively, defensively.”

An NBA scout, not authorized to speak publicly, said Miller has put himself on teams’ radars.

“With his skill set, he’s going to get a look,” the scout said. “But sometimes those older kids, their age is held against them.” Miller turned 23 in January — older than many NBA rookies.

If he doesn’t sneak into the second round of the June 22 NBA Draft, he should receive a summer league invitation.

Meanwhile, UM people believe that Poplar — already much improved — is going to take another big jump next season and has a chance to be an exceptional player.

He had his fingerprints all over the 13-point second-half comeback against Texas. With the Canes down 74-66, he hit a jumper. Soon after, he forced a turnover, had a rebound, and grabbed the ball after Omier forced a turnover with UM up two and less than a minute left.

Poplar, who scored 11 on Friday against Houston, had 16 points (6-for-7 shooting), four assists and two steals against Texas.

“Wooga is a very talented young man in many regards,” Larranaga said. “He has developed to become a fantastic defensive player. He’s the guy that shut down Tucker DeVries in the Drake game.” DeVries scored three points on 1-for-13 shooting after averaging 18.6 during the season.

“He also is someone that had some incredible rebounds against Indiana,” Larranaga said. “He’s a terrific free-throw shooter. Shot 97 percent in practice on the free-throw line this year. We record free throws every day. Every player has to shoot 25. We record how many they make. He shot 97 percent, the highest I’ve ever had in my career.”

Poplar, 6-5, shot 86.7 percent from the line this season (39 for 45).

“He’s also a terrific three-point shooter,” Larranaga said, fully aware that Poplar improved his three-point percentage from 21.4 as a freshman last season to 39.0 (39 for 100).

And “he’s an excellent straight-line driver, and I’ve encouraged him to focus on becoming an incredible 15-foot jump shooter and shoot from mid range,” Larranaga said. “Once he adds that to his game, he’s going to be unstoppable.”